Hood for car dumpers



1936; A. F. CASE ET AL 2,062,501

HOOD FOR CAR DUMPERS Filed June 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 EG- f Avvevvroes: Q6 Aer/we A CASE fess/v! R 00:15

A TT'ORNE rs Dec. 1, 1936. A.IF. CASE ET AL HOOD FOR CAR DUMPERS Filed June 15, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N w M (20 5 1355 V5 .55 wveA m w' Z6 Aer 0R5 CASE Jase/w Ram 4s:

2 Mu #W ly reducing the amount of tioned object,

Patented Dec. 1, 1936 UNI TE STAT r OFFICE Lakewood, Ohio,

assignors to The Wellman Engineering Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 15, 1933, Serial No. 675,921

21 Claims.

This invention relates to ear dumpe'rs of the type having a car receiving cradle which is turned to dump a car supported by the cradle and particularlyto meansfor retarding the discharge of the material from the car.

The tilting or dumping movement of the cradle of a car dumper acts to throw the material at the far side and bottom of the car outwardly into the discharge pan at a distance from the dumper tower or frame. This results in considerable breakage of the material being dumped unless the outflow of the material is retarded and especially is this the case when the material is coal. Another cause of breakage of the material is the fact that the dumping movement of the cradle causes the contents of the car to be discharged suddenly therefrom a large volume resulting in the material sliding down the discharge pan in a great mass and at a substantial speed. A further disadvantage in the conventional car dumper is that the unretarded dumping of the material creates a great amount of dust.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means in a car dumper for substantialbreakage in the material being dumped that is occasioned by the dumping movement of the cradle.

A more specific object is to provide means in a car dumper whereby substantially all of the material being dumped must pass into the discharge pan adjacent the dumping point, that is, adjacent the dumper frame or tower and pan girder.

Another object is to provide means in a car dumper, such as specified in the first above menthat is capable of functioning with cars of different height and length.

Another object is to provide such means, as specified above, which will not obstruct or hinder the operation of the car clamps and wherein the car clamps act or assist to hold such means in position during the dumping operation.

Another object is to provide in a car dumper means for confining and directing the dust created by the dumping operation to the discharge pan of the dumper.

Additional and further objects and advantages will become apparent during the detailed description of an embodiment of the invention now about to be described and which for purposes of illustration, is shown as applied to a car dumper of the lifting and tilting type although, of course, it could be applied to a car dumper of the turn over type in which the cradle of the dumper revolves about a fixed pivot and has no Vertical hoisting movement previous to its dumping rotation, or to a car dumper of the rolling type in which the car is clamped in a barrel-shaped cradle that is rolled up an inclined track to the point where the contents ofthe cars are to be dumped, or to a. car dumper of any other type.

Referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating such embodiment:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a car du'm per of the lifting and tilting type, the cradle being shown in its lower position in full lines and. in its raised and fully tilted position in dash and dot lines, certain of the parts of the dumper being shown diagrammatically since they form no part of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the car dumper shown in Fig. 1, certain of the parts being omitted to show more clearly other of the parts;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, a car clamp being shown, however, in position on top of the car and in holding engagement with the hood;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 of Fig. looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of Fig. 3. Referring to the accompanying drawings the car dumper is shown as comprising a tower l0 formed of suitable structural members and having a vertically movable tiltable cradle ll arranged therein and slidable along suitable vertical guides, the vertical movement of the cradle in the tower being efiected by cables or lines connected to the cradle and to suitable drums and passing around sheaves located at the top of the tower, as is well understood in the art. The cradle H is provided with aplaten [2 having tracks thereon to receive a car l3, such platen preferably being shiftable laterally by suitable means to cause the car to be moved over beneath the clamps on the dumping side as the cradle starts to turn and to restore the platen to central position at the end of the return movement of the cradle after the dumping operation.

The cradle H is arranged to be first hoisted vertically to the desired dumping point and then to be rotated about a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of the cradle so that the material in the car on the cradle will be discharged from the car over the side edge thereof. The point where 1 the vertical hoisting of the cradle terminates and its dumping rotation commences is ordinarily adjustable to suit different conditions, while the rotation of the cradle is accomplished by the engagement of pivot pins carried by the cradle with suitable hooks arranged on an adjustable girder movably supported and guided by the framework of the tower. The means for tilting the cradle and the adjustable girder referred to have not been illustrated herein since per so they form no part of the present invention and are well understood in the art, it being deemed sufiicient to show the cradle and car in the tilted dumping position by means of dot and dash lines.

A portion of a discharge pan or bin i4 is illustreated in Fig. 1 and it is into such pan or bin that the contents of the car are dumped by the dumping movement of the cradle. The inner end of the pan is ordinarily hingedly connected with the adjustable girder referred to above and is of such transverse width as to be capable of receiving material from the longest car which can be handled by the dumper, while the outer end of the pan is ordinarily supported by ropes connected to such end and passing over the top of the main framework of the tower.

Referring again to the cradle l I it will be seen that certain of the vertically extending arms of the cradle at the dumping side thereof have secured thereto members l5 in which clamp hooks it are slidably mounted, which hooks may have downwardly extending portions [1 adapted to engage the base of the dumper when the cradle is in its lowered position, or they may have any other suitable means to cause the clamp hooks to move upwardly away from the top edge of the car after the latter has been dumped and is ready to be removed from the cradle. Car clamp beams 18 are pivotally connected at iii to the clamp hooks 16 by means of connecting straps 20 secured to the webs of the beams and forming yokes straddling the hooks IS. The clamp beams I8 are of such length as to extend transversely across the cradle and are held in elevated position when the cradle is lowered by means of cables 2| connected to the members l5 and passing through suitable sheaves or other means on the clamp beams and other sheaves located at the top of the tower to counterweights (not shown) movable vertically of the tower in suitable guides. This arrangement of the car clamps is well understood in the art as is also the manner in which they function when the cradle is raised and tilted; that is, when the cradle moves vertically upwardly the hooks l6 stand stationary until engaged by the top edge of the car at the dumping side thereof after which the hooks travel with the car and the clamp beams swing downwardly across the top of the car until the tilting or dumping movement of the cradle causes the counterweights connected to the cables 2! to bring the clamp beams firmly against the top of the car and hold the same in such position against the weight of the car and contents during the dumping operation to thereby maintain the car in position upon the tracks of the cradle. It will be understood that there may be any number of these car clamps, as desired, although in the present embodiment four such clamps have been illustrated. It will further be understood that the means for raising the hooks 16 out of engagement with the top of the car when the cradle is in its lowered position may take various forms and that the specific construction disclosed herein for that purpose is merely illustrative.

At the side of the cradle opposite to the dumping side thereof the cradle platform has secured thereto a longitudinally extending girder frame 22 formed of suitable structural members. Vertically extending I-beams 23 are secured at their lower ends to the girder frame 22 and are spaced longitudinally of the frame 22 in the manner shown in Fig. 2, it being noted that seven beams 23 are illustrated and that these beams are braced by suitable bracing members indicated generally at 24 so that the beams form a rigid structure capable of supporting the hood members now about to be described.

In the embodiment illustrated three hood members are shown and these members are of such length as to be capable of functioning with any of the different length cars. The hood members are formed of a structural frame to which is secured a sheet metal covering preferably provided on its under side with a rubber or other soft lining. Each hood member comprises inwardly facing channel bars 25 extending longitudinally of the cradle and spaced vertically of each other and connected by vertically extending members 28, the bars 25 and the members 26 being interbraced by suitable bracing means 27. Two of the vertically extending members 26 of the left-hand hood member, as viewed in Fig. 2, are I-beams lying in alignment with the two left-hand I-beams 23, as viewed in said figure. The intermediate hood member has three of the vertically extending members 26 in the form of .I-beams aligning with the three intermediate .I-beams 23, while the right-hand hood member has two of its vertically extending members 26 aligning with the two right-hand I-beams 23, as viewed in Fig. 2. Ihese aligning I-beams are interconnected by suitable means, such as the U-shaped hooks 210. secured to the members 26 and slidably engaging the beams 23, shown in Fig. 5, so that the I-beams on the hood members may slide vertically upwardly and downwardly on the I-beams 23.

Structural members in the form of I-beams 28 are secured to the upper ends of certain of the members 26 and extend substantially horizontally therefrom transversely of the cradle to a point adjacent the dumping side of the latter, but falling short of such side. A sheet metal panel 29, having a lining 29a of rubber or other suitable material on its under side, is secured to the under flange of the I-beams 28 so as to extend transversely of the cradle while its edge opposite to the dumping side of the cradle extends downwardly approximately as far as the uppermost of the bars 25 and is secured to the bars 25 and the members 26. The transverse edges of the panel 29 are reenforced by suitable angle bars 39 secured to the upper side of the panel, while the longitudinal edge thereof adjacent the dumping side is similarly reenforced by members 3| secured to the upper side of the panel and to the beam 28 and the angles 30. The panels 29 intermediate their longitudinal edges are further reenforced by members 32 extending in a longitudinal direction with respect to the cradle and secured to the panels and to the beams 28 and angles 30.

The panels 29 in alignment with the clamp hooks l6 are provided with downwardly formed substantially V-shaped portions 33, which portions are cut away from the dumping side of the cradle toward a point adjacent to the opposite side thereof, that is, from the free edge of the panels to the point 34, as indicated in the drawings. The bottom of the -shaped portions 33 have secured thereto reenforcing blocks or strips 35, while the cut away parts of such portions 33 have inwardly extending flanges 36. The junctions between the portions 33 and the remainder of the panels may be suitably re-enforced by angle strips 31 secured to the under side of the panels. It .will be noted that each hood member, which includes the structural members and the sheet metal panels just described, is vertically movable on the I-beams 23 and in order that the hood. members will be properly counterbalanced and held in the desired vertical positions cables 38 connected thereto pass around suitable sheaves 39 and are connected to counterweights 40 mounted for vertical movement in suitable guides 4i secured to the rear of the frame or tower l0 of the dumper.v The upward movement of the counterweights 40 is limited by stops 42 mounted on the guides M to the end that when the cradle is in its lowermost position the hood members will be located adjacent the upper ends of the I- beams 23 and at a sufficient height above the platen I2 of the cradle to permit cars of maximum height to pass onto the cradle and beneath the hood members.

In order to direct the material into the discharge pan and to confine the dust created by the dumping operation to said pan hinged aprons 43 are provided at the dumping side of the hoods. Hinges 44 are secured to the members 3| of the hoods and the aprons 43 are carried by these hinges and when the cradle is in the upright position these aprons hang vertically downwardly, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. The right and left hand hoods are each provided with two aprons 43, that is, on each of these hoods there is an apron on each side of the clamp beam. The intermediate hood is provided with three aprons 43, one between the two intermediate clamp beams and one on each side of said beams.

The cradle II being in its lowered position a car I3 to be dumped is run up the incline and onto the tracks carried by the platen I2 of the cradle. The car is centered longitudinally of the cradle and it will be noted that the three hood members are of sufficientcombined length to accommodate cars of either the minimum or maximum length. As the cradle I I with the car I3 thereon commences its upward movement the hood members remain stationary until the top edge of the car opposite to the dumping side thereof engages the blocks or strips 35 on the bottoms of the V- shaped portions 33 of the hood members at which time the car picks up the hood members and such members then move simultaneously upwardly with the car, the counterweights 43 traveling downwardly in their guides 4|. As the cradle approaches the dumping point and the clamp beams I8 swing downwardly across the cradle such beams pass into the V-shaped portions 33 of the hood members and engage the bottom of such portions, while at the cut away parts of the portions 33 the flanges of the T-clamp beams I8 lie between the flanges 36 of the portions 33, with the result that said flanges substantially close the cut away parts of the portions 33. As the clamp beams I8 are drawn more firmly into clamping position during the tilting of the car they press the strips or blocks 35 of the hood members into clamping engagement with the top edge of the car and hence the hood members function at such time in conjunction with the car clamping means. The hood members form a substantially continuous longitudinal covering over the car, it being noted that the adjacent angle strips 30 of adjacent hood members lie in only slightly spaced relationship. Since the hood members extend transversely of the cradle and across the car to a point adjacent the dumping side thereof, but falling short of such side, it will be seen that a narrow opening extending longitudinally of the dumping side of the car provides the only exit for the material being dumped and that, therefore, the turning movement of the cradle will not cause the material at the far side and the bottom of the car to be thrown outwardly and into the discharge pan at a point removed from the tower or frame of the dumper. The material dumped will necessarily pass into the discharge pan adjacent the frame or tower and in gradual amounts as distinguished from a sudden discharge thereof in large volume, the result being that the breakage of the material is reduced to aminimum.

It will'be noted that when the cradle is tilted the aprons 43 will hang downwardly over the discharge pans, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and'act as a retarder to the outflow of the material and will also serve to direct the dust created by the dumping operation into the discharge pan.

Upon the completion of the dumping operation the cradle is turned to its horizontal position and is then lowered so that the car may be removed therefrom and a new car positioned thereon. As the cradle approaches its loading position the counterweights 4Il engage the stops 42 and the hood members are held against further downward movement with the result that the top edge of the car I3 movesout of engagement with the blocks or strips 35, it being understood that the clamp beams I8 have already swung upwardly out of engagement with the hoods. The car I3 may then be removed from the cradle and another car to be dumped positioned thereon.

Although an embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein, it should be understood that the invention is susceptible of various modifications and adaptations within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a car dumper, a car receiving cradle adapted to be turned to dump a car thereon, a hood extending transversely of the cradle part Way toward but terminating short of the dumping side thereof and partially covering a car on said cradle, and means on said cradle only at the side thereof opposite to'the dumping side for mounting said hood on said cr-aclle for bodily vertical movement relative thereto.

2. In a car dumper, a car receiving cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, and a hood carried by said cradle solely at the side thereof opposite to the dumping side and extending transversely of the cradle part way toward but terminating short of the dumping side.

3. In a car dumper, a ,car receiving cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, a hood extending transversely of the cradle toward but terminating short of the dumping side thereof, and means for bodily movably supporting said hood on the cradle only at the side thereof opposite to the dumping side.

4. In a car dumper, a car receiving cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, car clamping means carried by the cradle at the dumping side thereof and having a portion adapted to extend across the cradle toward the opposite side during the dumping operation, and a hood carried by the cradle at the side thereof opposite the dumping side and extending toward said side, said hood having a. portion adapted to engage the top edge of the car and cooperating with said portion of the clamping means.

5. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, means for clamping the car on said cradle during the dumping operation, a hood carried by the cradle and extending transversely thereof, and means slidably supporting said hood on said cradle at the side thereof opposite to the dumping side, said clamping means and said hood having portions cooperating with one another during the dumping operation.

- 6. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to be tilted to dump. a car thereon, means movably carried by the cradle at the dumping side thereof and adapted to engage the top edge of the car at the dumping side, a hood movably carried by the cradle at the side thereof opposite to the dumping side and extending transversely of the cradle, said hood having a portion adapted to engage the top edge of the car opposite to the dumping side, and means associated with said first named means and adapted to engage said hood during the dumping operation, said means, said first named means, and said hood conjunctively functioning to clamp a car on the cradle when the latter is tilted.

'7. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, a hood carried by said cradle at the side thereof opposite to the dumping side and extending toward but terminating short of said latter side, and an apron hingedly connected to the hood and extending longitudinally thereof at its free edge and depending downwardly therefrom.

8. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, a hood carried by said cradle for movement vertically thereon and extending from the side of the cradle opposite to the dumping side transversely thereof toward but terminating short of the dumping side, and means for automatically moving said hood vertically relative to said cradle when the latter approaches car receiving position.

9. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, a plurality of hoods carried by said cradle and extending transversely thereof toward but terminating short of the dumping side, and means only at the side of the cradle opposite to the dumping side for supporting and guiding said hoods for independent vertical movement with respect to said cradle.

10. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, a hood carried by the cradle at the side opposite to the dumping side and extending transversely thereof toward the dumping side, said hood being provided with a downwardly depressed portion adapted to engage the top edge of a car opposite to the dumping side, and car clamping means carried by the cradle and having a portion engaging the depressed portion of the hood during the dumping operation.

11. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, vertically extending supporting means carried by the cradle at the side thereof opposite to thedumping side, and a hood supported solely by said means and extending toward but terminating short of the dumping side of the cradle.

12. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, vertically extending supporting means secured to said cradle at the side thereof opposite to the dumping side, and a hood slidably and solely supported by said means and extending transversely of the cradle toward but terminating short of the dumping side thereof.

13. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, vertically extending supporting means secured to said cradle at the side thereof opposite to its dumping side, and a plurality of separate hoods supported solely by said means and extending transversely of the cradle toward but terminating short of the dumping side thereof. a

14. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, vertically extending supporting means secured to said cradle at the side opposite to the dumping side and spaced longitudinally thereof, and separate hoodsspaoed longitudinally of the cradle and independently slidably supported solely on said means, said hoods extending transversely of the cradle toward the dumping side thereof.

15. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, car clamping means, supporting means secured to said cradle at the side thereof opposite to the dumping side, a hood carried by said supporting means for vertical movement thereon independently of the car clamping means and extending transversely of the cradle toward the dumping side thereof, a movable counterweight connected with said hood, and a stop engageable by said counterweight when said cradle approaches car-receiving position to arrest further movement of said hood and effect a relative movement between it and its supporting means.

16. In a car dumper, a car receiving cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, a. hood carried by said cradle solely at the side thereof opposite to the dumping side and extending transversely of the cradle part way toward the dumping side, and car clamping means carried by said cradle independently of said hood.

1'7. In a car dumper, a car receiving cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, a hood extending transversely of the cradle toward the dumping side thereof,'means for movably supporting said hood on the cradle only at the side thereof opposite to the dumping side, and means carried by said cradle independently of said hood for clamping a car thereon.

18. In a car dumper, a car receiving cradle adapted to be turned to dump a car thereon, a hood extending transversely of the cradle part way toward the dumping side thereof and partially covering a car on said cradle, means for mounting said hood on said cradle for bodily vertical movement relative thereto, and means carried by said cradle independently of said hood for clamping a car on the cradle.

19. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to be tilted to dump a car thereon, a hood extending from the side of the cradle opposite tothe dumping side transversely thereof toward the dumping side, means for automatically moving said hood vertically relative to said cradle when the latter is in car receiving position, and means carried by said cradle independently of said hood for clamping a car onthe cradle.

20. In a car dumper, a car receiving cradle adapted to be turned to dump a car thereon, a hood extending transversely of the cradle toward the dumping side thereof and partially covering a car on said cradle, means for mounting said hood on said cradle for bodily vertical movement relative thereto, and means carried by said cradle and having movement independently of said hood for clamping a car on the cradle.

21. In a car dumper, a car receiving cradle adapted to be turned to dump a car thereon, a hood extending transversely of the cradle toward the dumping side thereof and adapted to partially cover a car on said cradle, said hood being movable relative to said cradle, and means carried by said cradle and movable independently of said hood but cooperating with said hood for clamping a car on said cradle and for holding said hood in operative position during the dumping operation.

ARTHUR F. CASE. JOSEPH P. DOYLE. 

